Demonetisation Anniversary: The government is celebrating the first anniversary of the notes ban as "Anti-black money day" to counter the opposition's protests on what it has labelled as "Black Day."

Demonetisation Anniversary: The notes ban yanked nearly 86 per cent of the currency in circulation

New Delhi: As the government today celebrates one year of demonetisation as 'Anti-black money day', the opposition is leaving no stone unturned to keep the pressure on the government and the ruling coalition on the issue. Opposition parties including Congress are calling the demonetisation anniversary 'Black Day'. The notes ban, which yanked nearly 86 per cent of the currency in circulation at the time, has been acknowledged by experts as one of the main reasons for the economic lull, which saw growth plunge to a three-year low of 5.7 per cent in the last quarter.

Here are the highlights on demonetisation anniversary:

Nov 08, 2017

20:50 (IST)

The Congress in Arunachal Pradesh today organised a candle light procession to remember the people who, the party claimed, died because of the demonetisation.

Nov 08, 2017

19:46 (IST)

Hundreds of Congress workers today formed a human chain in New Delhi as part of their party's observance of November 8 as 'black day' on the first anniversary of the demonetisation of high value currency notes.

Mocking the demonetisation move of the Narendra Modi government, BJP's bickering ally, the Shiv Sena, today performed a 'shradh' ceremony (post-death rites) of the Centre's note ban policy on its first anniversary.

Nov 08, 2017

18:22 (IST)

MK Stalin led a well-attended 'Karuppu Dinam' (Black Day) protest in Madurai, dressed in black. He raised slogans against the Narendra Modi government for note ban.

Nov 08, 2017

18:19 (IST)

A Congress party worker with body painted in black, participates in a Black Day protest against demonetisation on the first anniversary of its announcement, in Bhopal on Wednesday.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the biggest achievement is that terrorism has been badly hit and the stone throwers "who were in thousands have reduced because their cash flow has been cut".

BJP leaders, including many union ministers, will fan out across the country to highlight the "benefits" of demonetisation.

Nov 08, 2017

09:40 (IST)

This evening, Rahul Gandhi will participate in a candle-light vigil in Gujarat's Surat as part of the Opposition parties' "Black Day" protest.

Nov 08, 2017

09:39 (IST)

On Notes Ban Day, PM Narendra Modi Tweets 'Battle Won', Opposition Protests: 10 PointsAs Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government today celebrates one year of demonetisation, the move that yanked 86 per cent of the currency in circulation at the time as "Anti-black money day", the opposition plans united protest against the notes ban, which according to them was a "reckless" and "thoughtless" act by the central government. PM Modi, however, called the demonetisation a "decisive battle" that "Indians fought and WON".

BJP workers in Varanasi celebrate the first anniversary of demonetisation with party flags, portrait of PM Modi and cake.

Nov 08, 2017

08:53 (IST)

Did Demonetisation Increase Tax Base? Not ReallyIf the government is to be believed, the ban on high-value currency led to a significant surge in India's tax base over the past year. To back this claim, the government has released a deluge of data. Including the claim that that there was a 25 per cent increase in tax returns in the April-August 2017 period, compared to the same period last year. But the surge is not unusual given what demonetisation was meant to achieve.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi called demonetisation a tragedy. He tweeted, "Demonetisation is a tragedy. We stand with millions of honest Indians, whose lives & livelihoods were destroyed by PM's thoughtless act."

I bow to the people of India for supporting government to eradicating corruption: Prime Minister"I bow to the people of India for steadfastly supporting the several measures taken by the government to eradicate corruption and black money," said PM Narendra Modi on the first anniversary of demonetisation.